# Def'n/Etymology of "beard"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/defn-etymology-of-beard/7155>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [August 26, 1999, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/defn-etymology-of-beard/7155 "1999-08-26T19:53:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 1999, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/defn-etymology-of-beard/7155/1 "1999-08-26T19:53:00Z")

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I was just talking to co-workers and they said that some hollywood starlet was a “beard”. I asked and got the defn’ that it meant she was a “sham” wife for a gay guy.  
-is this term commonly used?  
-can it apply to a “sham” husband of a lesbian?  
Why “beard”? I can think of 5 words off the top of my head that would describe the situation better than “beard”.

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 1999, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/defn-etymology-of-beard/7155/2 "1999-08-26T20:23:00Z")

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Yes, a beard is any cover, which is how it originated–like a real beard, it covers things up and provides a disguise.

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**Author:** ![Gail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Gail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gail)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 1999, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/defn-etymology-of-beard/7155/3 "1999-08-26T20:25:00Z")

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Gay guys are not considered very masculine.  
Facial hair is seen as masculine. So, anytime a woman is seen with a man a lot, people assume they are having sex. This will make the guy seem more masculine, (bearded) i.e. straight.  
Elaine on Seinfeld was once a “beard” if I recall correctly.

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Gail  
“Any major dude with half a heart surely will tell you, my friend–  
Any minor world that breaks apart falls together again…”  
-Steely Dan

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**Author:** ![Mojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 1999, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/defn-etymology-of-beard/7155/4 "1999-08-26T20:47:00Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Yes, a beard is any cover, which is how it originated–like a real beard, it covers things up and provides a disguise.

but a beard is real, even if it is for a disguise. And often times it isn’t. I would think that “mask”, “wig”, or even “merkin” would be better terms.

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**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 1999, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/defn-etymology-of-beard/7155/5 "1999-08-26T21:23:00Z")

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Hey, no fair asking real question here! Moving this to General Questions.

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Saint Eutychus  
[www.disneyshorts.org](http://www.disneyshorts.org)